Six
by Phannie's Angel
Summary: The six will come, bathed in blood, when StarClan's light is hidden in clouds. A hero, a dreamer; A lover, a thinker; An angel, a fighter. To separate them is to fall, to unite them saves all.


A young, beautiful golden she-cat sat on a flat rock beside a stream, her blue eyes flicking around her as she seemed to watch for something. Her relaxed posture suggested she was expectant of it, though she still seemed slightly surprised when another cat appeared. With a trilling purr, she leaped off of the stone and bounded to the toms' side, her eyes shining.

"Bobo!" she called happily. The black tom, Bobo, leaned down to rub his muzzle against hers, smiling softly.

"Hello, Emma," he said quietly. "How are you?"

Emma wriggled and chirped. "Wonderful! I have some news for you!"

Bobo glanced up, his eyes wide. "Did it-"

"Yes!" Emma purred and leaped on Bobo, sending the both of them tumbling down into the soft grasses around the rock. "We're having kits!"

The two rolled around, tussling for a few moments before settling and lying in a small heap of black and gold fur. Most of the afternoon was spent lying in the sun, chatting quietly. As the evening began to set in, however, they were to be found settled quietly in the grass, simply staring up at the sky in silence, the only sounds to break the spell the bubbling of the creek and the singing of the birds.

Unbeknownst to the two, six cats watched far, far above.

One, a large gray tom, sighed before nodding once and looking up from the pits of the Fire Mountain. "It has begun," he said quietly.

A small black cat, nearly hidden by the shadows, rose to her paws and took a few steps forward, until she was nearly dangling over the edge of the pit, the heat of the lava below singing her whiskers. "Stormstar," she began, "must we deliver the prophecy now? It is not destined to be fulfilled for seasons!"

Stormstar seemed to scoff, sending a sharp glance at the young queen. "The time is right," he said firmly.

"Then we'd best be ready," rasped another. "They'll be here soon."

"Reedsong is right. We should be ready for them."

Reedsong looked at the tom who had spoken, a tortoiseshell with dark green eyes. "There's no need to echo me." She rolled her eyes with a huff and fixed her stare on him.

The tortoiseshell turned his ears back in embarrassment and nodded.

"If you're all quiet finished…" A silken purr interrupted the two, and five turned to face the stunning queen who had spoken just as four shapes began to form on the side of the mountain, mist coming together to form the shapes of cats. The six remained silent until all had blinked themselves awake. They seemed confused upon seeing each other, though one she-cat only rolled her eyes and huffed.

"What is it _this_ time?" she demanded.

"No need to be so snappy, Vixenheart," the black cat purred, her tail waving happily. "You should be glad to see me again!"

Vixenheart huffed. "You were a thorn in my side in life, Shadowflower, and I have an inkling that nothing will change in death."

Shadowflower giggled and kneaded at the ground. "You know it!" she chirped. Within hardly a moment, she sobered completely, her expression suddenly stern and serious. "I'm afraid we have a message for you four," she said quietly.

"Of course you do," Vixenheart muttered. With a long-suffering sigh, she continued, "well, get on with it, then."

Stormstar intervened before Shadowflower could speak again, sending the young queen a warning glance and rolling his eyes at her pout. "Vixenheart, Rosepool, Fallowstep, Streampaw," he began, his blue eyes flashing. "A great danger is rising."

Rosepool watched and listened carefully, her eyes wide and ears pricked. Fallowstep sighed slowly and hung his head, shaking it from side to side and twitching his graying whiskers. Vixenheart remained impassive, though her pricked ears betrayed her interest. Streampaw seemed awed, his eyes shining with wonder and fear and his pelt fluffed up.

"Though it will be far from now, the time has come for a prophecy to be delivered."

The ranks of StarClan seemed to press in from all sides, starry shapes picking their way up the Fire Mountain to surround the small group of cats. Amongst them stood the six; Stormstar, his presence large and intimidating, his eyes filled with fire and wisdom; Shadowflower, swamped by the cats on every side of her, but her grin ever present and her aura sparkling with youth and energy; Streakstar, nearly invisible in the darkness, only his eyes glowing through the shadows; Reedsong, standing tall and proud, her russet fur illuminated by the light of the pit; Rainshine, radiating comfort and reassurance, his tail wrapped neatly around his paws; Moonshadow, her blue eyes sparkling with courage, her sleek white pelt shining in the light.

It was Rainshine who spoke first. "The six will come, bathed in blood, when StarClan's light is hidden in clouds," he whispered. The words seemed to echo through the ring of cats, murmurs growing in volume until it was nearly a chant.

"A hero." Streakstar's voice seemed to surprise the medicine cats, and they turned to face him.

"A dreamer." They turned to Reedsong next, a growing sense of dread lighting within them.

"A lover." Shadowflower spoke softly, her eyes flashing with swift sorrow as she looked upon Vixenheart, who curled her lips in a snarl and looked away.

"A thinker." Stormstar's voice was powerful, breaking the tension between the two she-cats and commanding their attention.

"An angel." Rainshine spoke again, softly, and with warmth lacing his tone.

"A fighter." Moonshadow said firmly, her claws flexing into the rock.

"To separate them is to fall, to unite them saves all." The last sentence rippled through the circle of cats, growing into a tidal wave of sound before the four medicine cats suddenly disappeared, waking on the rocks of the Moonfalls.

All was silent at the top of the Fire Mountain. Slowly, cats began to disperse, leaving to return to their dens. Only two remained, sitting at the side of the pit long after all others had gone.

"Don't linger too long, Shadowflower." Rainshine touched his nose to the queen's ear and turned, disappearing down the side of the mountain.

Shadowflower remained silent for a long moment, staring into the pool of fire with an intense gaze, watching as the medicine cats converged for an anxious conference by the side of the falls. "You can do it," she whispered. Her voice trembled as she continued. "The six will come, and you _will_ be saved."

With that, she stood and whisked away, her tail flicking behind her as she vanished into the growth at the foot of the mountain.

Silence touched the mountain once more, pressing in and swallowing the warmth of the fire, leaving only a cold nothingness in its place.


End file.
